Christian Faith Is Not Blind – September 2, 2019

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1

Christian Faith Is Not Blind

How would you describe faith? Many people think faith requires you to close your eyes tightly and to step into the abyss without any idea of what may happen. You cross your fingers and hope for the best.

When trouble strikes, someone might say to you with the best of intentions, “You just have to have faith.”

There’s just one problem. You need to ask, “Faith in what, in whom?” Too often the response is, “You need to have faith in yourself.”

But that poses an even bigger problem because we have so little control over what happens, and no one can predict the future. If we could, we would have avoided the trouble in the first place! Putting faith in ourselves is true blindness, silliness.

The Christian faith is different. It’s not blind because it’s not based on thin air. It’s based on real facts, on a real person who did and does real things—even impossible things.

Some people think Christians are silly. “You actually believe that Jesus Christ walked on water?” they ask with a smirk. “You actually believe he raised people from the dead, and that he rose from the dead himself?” they wonder.

Of course, Christians do. After all, why would they want to put their faith in someone who cannot walk on water? What good reason would they have to trust someone who could not conquer death?

The Christian faith is not wishful thinking. It’s raw confidence based on the knowledge that the Christ in whom Christians put their hope foresees all things and controls them—yes, even evil and trouble—for the eternal good of his people (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28). It’s a certain expectation and assurance that in the end, Jesus alone saves now and forever.

Prayer:
Jesus, help me place my confidence in you alone for all things. Amen.